China-Arab co-op forum important platform for upgrading ties: Sudanese official

KHARTOUM, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Sudanese official said Saturday that the China-Arab Cooperation Forum constitutes an important platform to upgrade the economic, commercial and social ties between China and the Arab world.

"The China-Arab Cooperation Forum is important as it constitutes one of the major mechanisms to enhance and strengthen the economic and commercial relations between the Arab states and China," Abdul-Baqui Jailani, Sudanese state minister for humanitarian affairs, told Xinhua, one week before a ministerial conference of the China-Arab Cooperation Forum scheduled for May 13, in Tianjin, China.

Jailani regarded the Sino-Sudanese cooperation as a model for the Arab countries to follow suit, saying that "Chinese experience in Sudan deserves to be studied thoroughly and it deserves to be repeated elsewhere in any other African or Arab country".

"I think if we take for example oil industry, exploration and production services, the Chinese have proved to be at the highest level of development in this industry in particular, and I think we can develop this in other similar countries where there are reserves of petroleum," he added.

He went on to say that "China is working with full transparency; they can build confidence with others without any hindrances or obstacles."

The Sudanese official further called upon the Arab and African countries as well to give the Chinese a chance to invest and cooperate, adding that "such cooperation will result in mutual benefit for both China and others nations."

He affirmed that China's contribution to establishment of development projects in Sudan would help in achieving lasting stability and peace in the country, saying that "for example, if we concentrate on development, on infrastructure, we will come to peace in Darfur. China is providing good services in this respect. "

"The same thing could be said about the south. We need to concentrate on developing the south and China stands with us in this respect. It is a fruitful cooperation with great benefits," he said.

Jailani, meanwhile, commended the strong ties between Khartoum and Beijing, saying that "this relation is deeply-rooted in history and I think what has been achieved now between the two countries is paving the way for a lasting peace in Sudan."

The fourth Ministerial Meeting of China-Arab Cooperation Forum will be held on May 13-14 in Tianjin, China. The meeting, with the theme of deepening comprehensive cooperation and realizing common development, would give impetus to the China-Arab friendship.